Top 10 Working Actors Who Deserve An Oscar
by cabmhg | created - 09 Mar 2011 | updated - 09 Mar 2011 | PublicPlus 10 Honorable Mentions
1. Edward Norton
Actor | Fight Club
American actor, filmmaker and activist Edward Harrison Norton was born on August 18, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts, and was raised in Columbia, Maryland.
His mother, Lydia Robinson "Robin" (Rouse), was a foundation executive and teacher of English, and a daughter of famed real estate developer ...
His body of work has declined over the years yes, but on talent alone Norton is a master craftsman who deserves the most prestigious award given.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio
Actor | Inception
Few actors in the world have had a career quite as diverse as Leonardo DiCaprio's. DiCaprio has gone from relatively humble beginnings, as a supporting cast member of the sitcom Growing Pains (1985) and low budget horror movies, such as Critters 3 (1991), to a major teenage heartthrob in the 1990s,...
With all the work he has done with Scorsese, and the gravity of his performances, I am utterly dumbfounded this guy hasn't won the big award.
3. Johnny Depp
Actor | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II was born on June 9, 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky, to Betty Sue Palmer (née Wells), a waitress, and John Christopher Depp, a civil engineer. He was raised in Florida. He dropped out of school when he was 15, and fronted a series of music-garage bands, including one ...
Depp has taken the road less traveled. He takes roles that are to most unappealing and has done with them what no one else could do. Maybe those roles are just too unappealing to the Academy as well.
4. Gary Oldman
Actor | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Gary Oldman is a talented English movie star and character actor, renowned for his expressive acting style. One of the most celebrated thespians of his generation, with a diverse career encompassing theatre, film and television, he is known for his roles as Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986), ...
Seriously, Oldman's never even been nominated! Not even for a Golden Globe! I will admit he does a few films that leave us scratching our heads, but c'mon he is lights out and the epitome of a scene stealer.
5. Matt Damon
Actor | Good Will Hunting
Matthew Paige Damon was born on October 8, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Kent Damon, a stockbroker, realtor and tax preparer, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, an early childhood education professor at Lesley University. Matt has an older brother, Kyle, a sculptor. His father was of English and ...
Before you call me a dumb a$$ for putting him on this list, remember that he won his Oscar for writing Good Will Hunting. Not saying that one isn't enough, but his acting prowess has only improved since the day he broke in. He surrounds himself with talent acting and directing wise, and I believe he will win the big one eventually.
6. Brad Pitt
Actor | Fight Club
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt was born on December 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma and raised in Springfield, Missouri to Jane Etta Pitt (née Hillhouse), a school counselor & William Alvin "Bill" Pitt, a truck company manager. At Kickapoo High School, Pitt was involved in sports, debating, student ...
Although I am Kevin Spacey fan, in all fairness Pitt should have beaten him for Best Supporting Actor when Pitt was in 12 Monkeys. I feel both public perception and Academy perception, Pitt is undervalued as a great actor. A lot like him, but not too many would think of him right off the bat as one of their all-time favorite actors.
7. Robert Downey Jr.
Actor | Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. has evolved into one of the most respected actors in Hollywood. With an amazing list of credits to his name, he has managed to stay new and fresh even after over four decades in the business.
Downey was born April 4, 1965 in Manhattan, New York, the son of writer, director and ...
I hope the Academy won't take in too much of his past when voting on him in the future. The only thing with Downey is he chooses roles that aren't Oscar friendly. But, soon enough Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes will die out and he will be able to take on roles the Academy will respect.
8. Woody Harrelson
Actor | True Detective
Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning actor Woodrow Tracy Harrelson was born on July 23, 1961 in Midland, Texas, to Diane Lou (Oswald) and Charles Harrelson. He grew up in Lebanon, Ohio, where his mother was from. After receiving degrees in theater arts and English from Hanover College, he...
If it wasn't for Christoph Waltz two years ago there would be no need to have Woody on this list. He was the only actor in No Country to actually steal a scene from Javier Bardem, and I believe if given more dramatic roles than comedies Woody will have a statue for himself.
9. Josh Brolin
Actor | Avengers: Endgame
Rugged features and a natural charm have worked for Josh Brolin, the son of actor James Brolin. He has played roles as a policeman, a hunter, and the President of the United States.
Brolin was born February 12, 1968 in Santa Monica, California, to Jane Cameron (Agee), a Texas-born wildlife activist,...
Wow, he has come along way since The Goonies. Once just his father's son, Brolin is now to a point where he has control of his own destiny, something that is hard to do in Hollywood. He got the Coens to believe in him, and he has slowly getting The Academy to believe in him too.
10. Jeremy Renner
Actor | The Hurt Locker
Jeremy Lee Renner was born in Modesto, California, the son of Valerie (Tague) and Lee Renner, who managed a bowling alley. After a tumultuous yet happy childhood with his four younger siblings, Renner graduated from Beyer High School and attended Modesto Junior College. He explored several areas of...
Being nominated two years in a row is pretty cool, seeing where he was 3-4 years ago. On the acting alone, should have won for Hurt Locker, but you get no argument from me that The Dude finally got his. Renner is now a hot commodity, and that puts him on his way to winning an Oscar.
11. Sam Rockwell
Actor | Moon
Sam Rockwell was born on November 5, 1968, in San Mateo, California, the only child of two actors, Pete Rockwell and Penny Hess. The family moved to New York when he was two years old, living first in the Bronx and later in Manhattan. When Sam was five years old, his parents separated, at which ...
Honorable Mention
On a personal note, one of my all-time favorite actors. Should have been nominated for his most recent film Conviction, as well as Moon last year and several before that.
12. Ian McKellen
Actor | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Widely regarded as one of greatest stage and screen actors both in his native Great Britain and internationally, twice nominated for the Oscar and recipient of every major theatrical award in the UK and US, Ian Murray McKellen was born on May 25, 1939 in Burnley, Lancashire, England, to Margery ...
Honorable Mention
With Russell Crowe's meltdown resulting him not to win for A Beautiful Mind, I assumed that meant McKellen would win for playing Gandalf. Unfortunately that did not happen, and with his age he sadly may not get nominated again.
13. Ralph Fiennes
Actor | The Constant Gardener
Actor Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes was born on December 22, 1962 in Suffolk, England, to Jennifer Anne Mary Alleyne (Lash), a novelist, and Mark Fiennes, a photographer. He is the eldest of six children. Four of his siblings are also in the arts: Martha Fiennes, a director; Magnus ...
Honorable Mention
Along with Anthony Hopkins, probably the greatest movie villain of all time. He really should have beaten Tommy Lee Jones for the Oscar in 1994.
14. Samuel L. Jackson
Actor | Pulp Fiction
Samuel L. Jackson is an American producer and highly prolific actor, having appeared in over 100 films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Unbreakable (2000), Shaft (2000), Formula 51 (2001), Black Snake Moan (2006), Snakes on a Plane (2006), and the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005), ...
Honorable Mention
With all that he's been in I'm surprised he's only been nominated once. 9 out of 10 movies are ridiculous, but that 1 out of 10 usually offers a great performance.
15. Viggo Mortensen
Actor | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Since his screen debut as a young Amish farmer in Peter Weir's Witness (1985), Viggo Mortensen's career has been marked by a steady string of well-rounded performances.
Mortensen was born in New York City, to Grace Gamble (Atkinson) and Viggo Peter Mortensen, Sr. His father was Danish, his mother ...
Honorable Mention
Hasn't skipped a beat since the LOTR trilogy. Has actually done his best work working with David Cronenberg. Hopefully he won't get jilted like he did in The Road and everything will be ok with Viggo.
16. Will Smith
Producer | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". Smith has been nominated for five Golden ...
Honorable Mention
Pursuit of Happyness had Academy written all over it. So did Ali. He came up short, but I don't think he's done being nominated. I just wish he would play a villain so he can show us some versatility.
17. Liam Neeson
Actor | Kinsey
Liam Neeson was born on June 7, 1952 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, to Katherine (Brown), a cook, and Bernard Neeson, a school caretaker. He was raised in a Catholic household. During his early years, Liam worked as a forklift operator for Guinness, a truck driver, an assistant architect and an ...
Honorable Mention
Always a great actor, seems to have become a blockbuster leading man in recent years. Only the one nomination, but I don't think it will be his last.
18. John Malkovich
Actor | Being John Malkovich
John Gavin Malkovich was born in Christopher, Illinois, to Joe Anne (Choisser), who owned a local newspaper, and Daniel Leon Malkovich, a state conservation director. His paternal grandparents were Croatian. In 1976, Malkovich joined Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, newly founded by his friend Gary ...
Honorable Mention
Never really been a leading man, but that's ok. Some of the greatest performances in recent memory came from the Supporting actor category. And that's right up his alley.
19. Don Cheadle
Actor | Crash
Donald Frank Cheadle was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 29, 1964. His childhood found him moving from city to city with his family: mother Bettye (née North), a teacher; father Donald Frank Cheadle Sr., a clinical psychologist; sister Cindy; and brother Colin. After graduating from high...
Honorable Mention
Very Good in Crash and wasn't even nominated. When he was nominated he lost fair and square to Jaime Foxx. It seems his roles are diminishing a bit, so honorable mention.
20. Paul Giamatti
Actor | Sideways
Paul Giamatti is an American actor who has worked steadily and prominently for over thirty years, and is best known for leading roles in the films American Splendor (2003), Sideways (2004), and Barney's Version (2010) (for which he won a Golden Globe), and supporting roles in the films Cinderella ...
Honorable Mention
Probably the most underrated actor working today, Giamatti is great in just about everything. Won the Golden Globe for Barney but didn't even get nominated. I guess I understand the logic, but it is absurd.
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